Digital Commons Network^™

Deep Learning For Hate Speech Detection: A Comparative Study, Jitendra Singh Malik, Hezhe Qiao, Guansong Pang, Anton Van Den Hengel

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Automated hate speech detection is an important tool in combating the spread of hate speech, particularly in social media. Numerous methods have been developed for the task, including a recent proliferation of deep-learning based approaches. A variety of datasets have also been developed, exemplifying various manifestations of the hate-speech detection problem. We present here a largescale empirical comparison of deep and shallow hate-speech detection methods, mediated through the three most commonly used datasets. Our goal is to illuminate progress in the area, and identify strengths and weaknesses in the current state-of-the-art. We particularly focus our analysis on measures of practical …

Teaching Diffusion Models To Ground Alpha Matte, Tianyi Xiang, Weiying Zheng, Yutao Jiang, Tingrui Shen, Hewei Yu, Yangyang Xu, Shengfeng He

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The power of visual language models is showcased in visual understanding tasks, where language-guided models achieve impressive flexibility and precision. In this paper, we ex tend this capability to the challenging domain of image matting by framing it as a soft grounding problem, enabling a single diffusion model to handle diverse objects, textures, and transparencies, all directed by descriptive text prompts. Our method teaches the diffusion model to ground alpha mattes by guiding it through a process of instance-level localization and transparency estimation. First, we introduce an intermediate objective that trains the model to accurately localize semantic components of the …

Impact Of Original Versus Reposted Social Endorsements On Content Consumption: The Moderating Role Of Endorsers’ Network Characteristics, Anqi Zhao, Qian Tang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Social endorsements broadcast endorsers’ positive attitudes toward content or products, especially to their social ties. Original endorsements created by endorsers can be propagated further as reposted endorsements. Both are important marketing tools to increase content consumption, yet their differences are unclear. This study compares the impacts of original and reposted endorsements on content consumption and their contingencies on the endorsers’ network characteristics. Using data on social endorsements of YouTube videos on Twitter, we find that original endorsements (i.e., original tweets) significantly boost content consumption, and the effect is positively moderated by the endorsers’ network size but not their tie strength. …

Colony Collapse Disorder And How To Mitigate Losses, Axl Taylor

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

What is Colony Collapse Disorder?

The Role of Varroa destructor in CCD

Viruses and Their Role in CCD

Effects of Nosema in CCD

Habitat Destruction/Nutrition and Its Effect on CCD

Pesticides and their effect on CCD

Mitigating Causes of CCD

Colony Behavior, Social Resilience, and Monitoring

Integrated Management Approaches

Conclusion

Illustrated Key To Third Instar Larvae Of Forensically Important Calliphoridae From Costa Rica, Roberto Esteban Morales-Montero

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Forensic entomology in Costa Rica formally began by the end of the 1990s decade, however, the keys utilized to identify the species of Calliphoridae, the most important family of flies that colonize decomposing bodies in Costa Rica, are a compendium of work done by different authors that not include all the species present in the country, and are not adequately illustrated, which could make the analyses difficult for people without the proper knowledge of the carrion flies, or may lead to errors in the identification. The objective of this work is to put together a properly illustrated key for third-instar …

Greta Gerwig And Pina Bausch: A Comparative Analysis Of Creative Processes, Ashley N. Reisert

Senior Theses

This paper examines the creative processes of film director Greta Gerwig and dance choreographer Pina Bausch. More specifically, it compares the techniques both artists employ to inspire movement and produce a successful end product. Greta Gerwig’s background in theater provides the impetus behind many of her directorial choices. This paper explores three of her values that have contributed to her success: realistic dialogue, actor connection, and capturing reality. Pina Bausch’s process stems from the performers themselves; she often provides them with prompts, such as questions to inspire movement. Through the analysis of these two influential artists, I have found that …

77 | Khirbat ‘Amra: A Rural Site From The Hellenistic To Early Islamic Periods In The BeʼEr Sheva‘ Valley, Itamar Taxel, Noé D. Michael

IAA Reports—Monograph Series of the Israel Antiquities Authority

This volume constitutes the final report of the large-scale salvage excavations directed by Gil Tahal on behalf of the IAA in 1993–1994 at the site of Khirbat ‘Amra, in the north-central area of the Be’er Sheva‛ Valley. The excavations revealed architectural remains and finds dated mainly to the Hellenistic until the Early Islamic periods, in addition to scantier remains or isolated finds from the Chalcolithic period, the Iron Age II and the Ottoman period. Khirbat ‘Amra is one of the largest multiperiod sites in the Be’er Sheva‛ Valley, specifically in the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods. Furthermore, Tahal’s excavations were …

Integrating Satellite Observations And Modeling Approaches To Study Tectonic And Land Surface Hazards, Jeng Hann Chong

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The increasing availability of Earth observation satellites, such as SAR and optical platforms, has improved our ability to study the ground deformation processes during, after, and leading up to these natural hazards, such as earthquakes and debris flows. In this dissertation, I analyze satellite geodetic interseismic velocities across the Rakhine-Bangladesh megathrust and the influence of having realistic modeling assumptions for subduction zones to better constrain seismic hazard. I also examined changes in post-fire debris flow likelihood four years after the 2020 Lake Fire in Southern California using a suite of satellite data and field observations. Together, these studies highlight how …

Who Tells Your Story? The Good, The Bad, And The Political Of Hamilton’S Cultural Revolution, Sophie K. Eastone

SPARK Symposium Presentations

When Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton premiered on Broadway in 2015, it quickly became one of the most celebrated and influential musicals of the twenty-first century. By blending hip-hop with traditional musical theatre and casting actors of color as the Founding Fathers, the production reshaped how American history could be represented on stage. This essay explores how Hamilton functions as both a cultural breakthrough and a source of political controversy. While the musical has been praised for expanding representation in theatre and making history feel accessible to modern audiences, scholars have also criticized it for simplifying the realities of America’s past, particularly …

Front Matter, North Carolina Journal Of Law & Technology

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

Can Ai Empower The Rule Of Law?, Eleftheria Papadaki

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Duty Of Competence For Attorneys Using Generative Ai, Anna Conley

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

Scientific Muse And Misuse: Reevaluating Authorship Attribution And Liability Allocation In The Generative Ai Age, Inbar Cohen Ganot

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

Future Crime: A Theoretical Foundation For Designing Effective Cybercrime Laws In The Age Of Ai And Ransomware, Thi Ha Do, Niloufer Selvadurai

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

The Splintering Of American Public Law, Marco Basile

University of Chicago Law Review

Constitutional tradition has never mattered more for arguing about what the Constitution means. Yet the very idea of a constitutional tradition presents a shape-shifting target. Rather than an entirely distinct body of law, early U.S. constitutional law mixed and blurred with the law of nations in a broader category of “public law” that, unlike other forms of law, sought to govern the sovereign state itself through not only legal institutions but also political structures and actors outside courts.

This Article argues that U.S. constitutional law and international law diverged after the Civil War when courts came to apply them differently …

Book Review: Bearing Witness In Acts And Today By Troy M. Troftgruben, Christopher Robershaw

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Cognitive Function Assessment Post Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation In Patients With Parkinson’S Disease, Zainab Hamza

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background:Parkinson disease (PD) is the 2nd most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting more than 6 million people allover the world. Cognitive impairment occur with variable onset during the course of disease. Surgical treatment of PD used for patients who, despite optimal medical treatment, experience motor complications, common surgical treatment is deep brain stimulation (DBS), which targets the subthalamic nucleus, globus pallidus internus, or ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus, but it may also cause complication as general medical complication and neurological complication.The aim of study:To assess the risk of cognitive decline post subthalamic neuclus-deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson disease.The …

Serodiagnosis Of Human Herpesvirus-8 In Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Single- Centre Study From Iraq, Riyam Alani, Shatha Abdullah

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), also known as Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus has attract more attention because it is linked to the development of all clinic-epidemiological forms of Kaposi’s sarcoma. Number of studies showed that solid organ transplantation play an important role in HHV-8 transmission and the immune status is also a crucial factor for the development of KS so that kidney transplantation is an important source for HHV-8 infection to be investigated .Aim of the study: This study aimed to investigate the presence of antibodies (IgG, IgM) against HHV-8 in patients underwent kidney transplantation within 6 month weather the patients …

Adipocyte Fatty Acid Binding Protein Level Among Patients With Subclinical Hypothyroidism, Rezan Hussein, Sherwan Salih

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Abstract Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is diagnosed when free thyroxine (fT4) level is normal and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level is elevated. The prevalence of SCH is 3-15%. Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) is an adipokine secreted from adipose tissue. It has a role in the regulation of lipid storage, oxidation and lipolysis. Atherogenic indices of plasma are lipid ratios that are used in predicting cardiovascular events. They include atherogenic index of plasma, Castelli’s risk indexes I and II and atherogenic coefficient. Objectives: The study was aimed to evaluate serum A-FABP level among SCH patients compared to a control …

Comparative Study Between Ablative Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Combined With Topical Steroid Versus Topical Steroid In Treatment Of Alopecia Areata, Sara Mohsen, Husam Salman

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Alopecia areata is a common disease that affects the psychological well-being of the affected individuals. No single treatment option is proved to be effective and safe in its management. Laser-assisted drug delivery is a new method for the management of different dermatological diseases. fractional laser could can act by inducing T cell apoptosis, increasing blood flow and promoting telogen to anagen transitions.Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of fractional carbon dioxide laser-assisted topical steroid delivery in the management of alopecia areata.Patients and methods: A total of 20 patients with (108 patches) of alopecia areata with two or more nonadjacent patches …

Pediatric Cochlear Implantation In Otitis Media With Effusion : Surgical Difficulties And Outcomes, Mohammed Zaidan, Yaseen Sakran

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Abstract:Background: Cochlear implantation is the surgical procedure of choice in patients with otitis media with effusion ,which is a common childhood disease, and this procedure may be associated with some surgical difficulties in the presence of such condition.Objectives: To evaluate the surgical difficulties and outcomes in pediatric cochlear implantation in the presence of otitis media with effusion .Patients and methods: A retrospective cohort study conducted in AL- Yarmouk teaching hospital /Baghdad/Iraq during 2022 on a sample of pediatric patients candidates for cochlear implant who divided into 2 groups , normally aerated ear group(A) and persistent Otitis media with effusion group(B) …

Ocular Hypertension And Glaucoma In Vogt Koyanagi Harada Syndrome, Ola Abbas, Faiz Shakarchi

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome is a multisystem disease of autoimmune etiology, affecting melanocyte-containing tissue such as the uvea, ear, skin, and meninges.Objective: is to determine the incidence of glaucoma and ocular hypertension in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome at a referral center in Iraq.Methods: A prospective case series study, included patients diagnosed with Vogt Koyanagi Harada syndrome which was performed at the uveitis clinic in Ibn AL-Haitham teaching eye Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq from April 2021 to February 2022 (10 months). Detailed general and ophthalmic history was obtained and detailed ocular examination including best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and slit lamp …

Vitamin D And Carboxy-Terminal Cross-Linking Telopeptide Of Type-1 Collagen In Polycystic Ovary Syndrome And Their Relation With Hyperandrogenism., Aya Badri, Nazar Haddad

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Key features such as hyperandrogenism, hyperinsulinemia, and obesity can affect bone mineral density and biochemical markers of bone turnover. Vitamin D is linked to reproductive health, metabolic changes, and mental well-being in PCOS patients.Objectives: To assess the relationship between vitamin D, CTX (C-Telopeptide of type 1 collagen), and testosterone levels in women with PCOS.Patients and methods: This comparative cross-sectional study included 78 women with PCOS and 82 healthy controls. Serum testosterone and vitamin D levels were measured using a COBAS® e411 analyzer, while CTX …

Diagnostic And Predictive Value Of Serum Anti C1q Antibody In A Sample Of Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematous, Israa Sukker, Faiq Gorial, Aida Al-Derzi

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

AbstractBackground: Anti C1q antibody is the most studied between antibodies directed against a component of the complement system. AntiC1q antibodies are present in patients with lupus, who often have high clinical disease activity. The aim is to assess Diagnostic and predictive value of serum anti C1q antibody in patients with SLE, to evaluate the correlation between serum anti C1q antibody with sociodemographic and clinical characteristic of SLE patients.Materials and methods: A total of 35 SLE patients and 35 apparently healthy individuals were selected as control group in the current study. Serum level of anti C1q antibody was detected by ELISA …

Herding Cats: Reflections On Designing And Implementing An Interprofessional Education Simulation, Valerie M. Wright, Antony Joseph

Faculty Publications - Mennonite College of Nursing

No abstract provided.

When The Student Becomes The Teacher: Learning-By-Teaching As A Tool For Conservation Career Development, Ana Dixon

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Dixon, A. (2025). When the Student Becomes the Teacher: Learning-by-Teaching as a Tool for Conservation Career Development

This study explored the research question: How do teaching-centered conservation career development programs influence participants’ science identity and self-efficacy? The literature review includes context on STEM and conservation careers, social cognitive career theory, science identity and self-efficacy, and learning-by-teaching. Participants in the Zoological Society of Milwaukee’s High School Assistant (HSA) volunteer and conservation education internship programs were given the option to complete pre- and post-surveys surrounding their participation in their respective summer program. These surveys measured individuals’ science identity, science and environmental self-efficacy, …

Costly Compliance: Stipulated Agreements In Oregon’S Nonpayment Eviction Cases, Colleen Carroll, Minji Cho, Lisa K. Bates

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

In Oregon, stipulated agreements are court-enforced agreements that dictate the terms and conditions under which an eviction case can be dismissed. Stipulated agreements are court-enforced agreements that landlords and tenants enter into during the course of the eviction process instead of going to trial. If all the terms of the agreement are not met, the landlord can seek a swift judgment of eviction against the tenant. These types of agreements are often touted as a successful form of post-filing eviction diversion; however, very little is known about the terms and outcomes of these cases.

Attribution As Architecture In The Digital Age, Laura A. Heymann

Faculty Publications

As technology changes, one thing remains constant: human creators seem to care about attribution, whether as creators or as audience members. Current U.S. law lacks the means for many creators to effectively address attributional interests, and experience has shown that top-down, imposed technological solutions can fail to gain the necessary buy-in and adoption. The best approach, examples suggest, is for platforms to think of attribution as part of the architecture of their systems, but to take their cues from user-developed, individualized solutions, which will not only be more responsive to user interests but also allow adaptation as interests change and …

Redefining Law In China, Zeming Liu, Benjamin L. Liebman

Faculty Scholarship

Although there is a growing body of literature on the role of law under authoritarian regimes, scholars have paid little attention to authoritarian legal ideology or conceptions of legality in contemporary authoritarian states. This Article presents the first in-depth study of the Chinese Communist Party’s recent novel attempt to introduce and implement an official legal ideology under the banner of “Xi Jinping’s Thought on the Rule of Law,” one which aims both to create a definitive theory of law and to offer a guide to China’s legal development. We examine four principal components of this legal ideology: the theoretical definition …

Integrating Lived Experience In Preprofessional Training In Speech Pathology And Audiology, Rachel Glade, Saira Hussain, Claire Wilkes, Christine Hunter, Faheema Mahomed-Asmail

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background Incorporating persons with lived experience (PWLE) has proven effective in supporting preprofessionals in their training by providing authentic insights that foster empathy, compassion and critical thinking. However, limited research exists on its integration into audiology and speech-language pathology courses. This project aimed to determine the benefits of incorporating lived experience engagements into preprofessional audiology and speech-language pathology training.Method Preprofessional students enrolled for a course in adult auditory (re)habilitation and engaged with PWLE during scheduled class sessions. Six PWLE from different countries, each with unique hearing experiences and various hearing technologies, interacted with the students. Students reflected on their experiences …